Mechanism for specially forming, and for fitting releasing means of wire to, bottle closure caps of the crown seal variety



Jan. 26, 1937. P. N. VOWLES 2,068,881

RMING, AND FOR FITTING RELEASING MEANS,

ROWN SEAL VARIETY MECHANISM FOR SPECIALLY F0 OF WIRE TO, BOTTLE CLOSURE CAPS OF THE C Filed Dec. 5, 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet l NVENToB Jan. 26, 1937. P. N. VOWLES 2,068,881 MECHANISM FOR SPECIALLY FORMING, AND FOR FITTING RELEASING MEANS OF WIRE TO, BOTTLE CLOSURE CAPS OF THE CROWN SEAL VARIETY Filed Dec. 5, 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 26, 1937. P. N. VOWLES 2,068,881 MECHANISM FOR SP-ECIALLY FORMING, AND FOR FITTING RELEASING MEANS OF WIRE; TO BOTTLE CLOSURE CAPS OF THE CROWN SEAL VARIETY Filed Dec. 5, 1954 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 26, 1937. P. N. VOWLES 2,068,381 MECHANISM FOR SPECIALLY FORMING, AND FOR FITTING RELEASING MEANS OF WIRE TO, BOTTLE CLOSURE CAPS OF THE CROWN SEAL VARIETY Filed DEC. 5, 1934' ll Sheets-sheet 4 5 L 1 I i I 55 1 L 54 i if 55 9 33 34 m 45/l F5 1" 44 z 9 (fi r 3: 48 0 36 5 46 6 32 7 -I.

y I n; n a 11 1 w 5 i F %m m a I 2G a w w m- .I Z 7 m I 5 Q m M 7 W 1 w 7 5 P 4 m I 4 I P. N. VOWLES RMING, AND FOR FITTING RELEASIN SURE CAPS OF THE CROWN SEAL VARIETY Flled Dec 5, 1934 In. i I I I I l l I l I I l I I I I l Jan. 26, 1937.

- MECHANISM FOR SPECIALLY F0 OF WIRE To, BOTTLE CLO Jan. 26, 1937. vow s 2,068,881

MECHANISM FOR SPECIALLY FORMING, AND FOR FITTING RELEASING MEANS OF WIRE T0, BOTTLE CLOSURE CAPS OF THE CROWN SEAL VARIETY Filed Dec. 5, 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet 6 MECHANISM FOR SPECIALLY FORMING, AND FOR FITTING RELEASING MEANS OF WIRE T0; BOTTLE CLOSURE CAPS OF THE CROWN SEAL VARIETY Filed Dec. 5, 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet 7 Jan. 26, 1937. N V WLES 2,068,881

Jan. 26, 1937. 2,068,881

OF WIRE To, BOTTLE CLOSURE CAPS OF THE CROWN SEAL VARIETY P. N. VOWLES RMING, AND FOR FI t w h w S e Mh MS Ln E R G N T. T T

MECHANISM FOR SPEGIALLY F0 Filed Dec. 5, 1934 2,068,881 SING MEANS Jam 1937. P. N. VOWLES MECHANISM FOR SPECIALLY FORMING, AND FOR FITTING RELEA OF WIRE TO, BOTTLE CLOSURE CAPS OF THE CROWN SEAL VARIETY Filed Dec. 5, 1934 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 Jan. 26, 19.37. P N, V WLE 2,068,881

MECHANISM FOR SPECIALLY FORM'ING, AND FOR FITTING RELEASING MEANS OF WIRE To, BOTTLE CLOSURE GAPS OF THE CROWN SEAL VARIETY Filed Dec. 5, 1934 ll Sheets-Sheet 1O mm" VII/m k Jan. 26, 1937. P, N VOWLES 2,068,881

MECHANISM FoR SPECIALLY FORMING, AND FOR FITTING RELEASING MEANS OF WIRE TO, BOTTLE CLOSURE CAPS OF THE CROWN SEAL VARIETY Filed Dec. 5, 1954 ll Sheets-Sheet ll Patented Jan. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Philip Norton Vowles, Croydon, near Sydney, Australia, assignor to William John Smith, Point Piper, near Sydney, Australia Application December 5, 1934, Serial No. 756,156 In Australia December 8, 1933 12 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for specially forming, and for fitting releasing means of wire to, bottle closure caps of the crown seal variety.

A mechanism according to the invention is entirely automatic in operation and is designed to rapidly deal with bottle closure caps or crown seals in large quantities, and is particularly adapted to fashion sunken or indented portions and ridges and grooves of bottle closure caps and to form bend and fit to each cap a snugly nested loop-like formation of wire which constitutes the bottle cap releasing means, such bottle closure caps and wire releasing means therefor being substantially the same as described and illustrated by the complete specifications and drawings which formed the basis of application for Letters Patent in the United States of America filed on the 29th of March 1933 under Serial Number 663,412 and in the name of Edwin Ralph Rossiter which has matured into Patent No. 1,980,094, of November 6, 1934.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine capable of economically forming on a commercial scale bottle closure caps each with associated snugly nested loop-like wire releasing means as last referred to.

An apparatus according to the invention includes means for suitably notching the goiferings of each bottle closure cap to snugly receive within them portions of the said loop-like wire releasing means.

Associated with the apparatus is a feed chute with which are incorporated special means for ensuring a regular feed of bottle caps to the first operating die.

An apparatus according to the present invention also embodies special means for ejecting from it the finished bottle closure cap or crown seal together of course with its associated looplike wire releasing means.

The various operations are automatically carried out in such order that the wire releasing means are partly formed and then associated with the bottle closure cap for complete forming simultaneously with the operations of specially forming the said bottle closure cap. The said operations are carried out in series at a number of different operating locations of the machine that will more fully be described later herein in sequence and will be referred to as station A, station E, station, C and station D.

Briefly stated, the sequence of operations so carried out is as follows:--

At station A the wire of which. t bottle cap releasing means is formed is first fed in predetermined unbroken lengths between a combination of wire forming and cutting means and is there then cut and partly formed.

At station B a bottle'cap is fed into a special locating die and is forced therethrough by a punch and notched by a notching die (in association with corresponding notching grooves of the said punch) to receive the partly formed wire which at this juncture lies partly formed beneath upon a die plate. The cap is then specially formed between forming punches, and then associated with the said partly formed wire during which process the wire is further fashioned into a looped formation.

At station C the bottle cap and its associated looped wire are operated upon by a group of special wire forming dies to bend the loop and ends of the wire in required fashion so as to completely form and securely attach the said wire to the bottle cap and press the said wire snugly into the bottle cap indentation andrecesses formed to receive such wire.

At station D the completed bottle cap is loosened from its die plate and ejected therefrom into a container or the like.

But in order that the invention may be clearly understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various Views,'such drawings illustrating a machine according to a preferred embodiment of the invention:--

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a machine according to the invention, the view being drawn to a scale of a quarter full size.

Figure 2 is a side View E of Figure 1 drawn to the same scale.

Figure 3 is a partial vertical sectional view 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the mechanism of the operating stations A and C of the machine.

Figure 4 is a plan view of an upper cross head fitting for holding forming punches and other parts.

Figure 5 is a partial vertical sectional View 55 of Figure 2 showing the mechanism of the operating stations B and D of the machine.

Figure 6 is a full size fragmentary sectional view showing details of a Wire forming die at operating station A.

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional view on a line 'l'l' of Figure 2 showing details of the base of the machine and parts housed therein.

Figure 8 is a plan view drawn to a scale of half full size of a rotatable turret in which are carried lower forming punches.

Figure 9 is a plan view drawn to a scale of half full size of a die carrying head for holding some of the upper forming dies.

Figure 10 is an elevational detail view serving to illustrate the nature of one of the forming operations carried out at operating station B.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of levers for carrying one of the wire feed rollers.

Figure 12 is a plan view drawn to a scale of half full size showing a die carrying plate which is adapted to be attached to the said rotatabl turret.

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view on a line I3-|3 of Figure 1 to a scale of a quarter full size showing in plan cam tracks for operating and controlling lower forming punches Figure 14 is a perspective view showing the cam tracks in Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a cross sectional view on a line l5l5 of Figure 12 drawn to a scale of half full size through one of the dies carried by the die carrying plate.

Figure 16 is a full size fragmentary plan view of detached parts of the wire forming station A with the jaws of the forming dies shown in section.

Figures 1'7, 18, 19 and 20 are detail views partly elevational and partly perspective illustrating various stages in the operation of wire forming dies at station A.

Figure 21 is a perspective view of partly dismantled units comprising the wire forming die at station A.

Figures 22 and 23 are partly sectional and partly perspective views showing details of stages in the forming operations carried out at station B.

Figure 24 is a perspective view of a detached die, carrying a formed bottle closure cap and a partly formed wire to be associated therewith according to the invention.

Figures 25, 26 and 27 are detail elevational and perspective views of stages in the complete forming operations carried out at station C.

Figure 28, by its several bracketed perspective views of bottle closure caps and wires, illustrates clearly the results of successive stages of the forming work cairied out at the stations A, B, and C.

Figure 29 is a diagrammatic view of assembled parts of a machine according to the invention when stripped of any supporting framework.

Referring then to the said drawings, a rotatable crank shaft 35 housed in suitable bearings in the base 3| has attached thereto at one end and outwardly of one of the bearings a spur gear 32 which meshes with a gear pinion 33 fixed to a rotatable shaft 34 housed in suitable bearings associated with the base 3|.

Fixed upon the shaft 34 is a clutch member 35 co-operating with a loose clutch member 36 so as to be frictionally driven by a grooved driving pulley 31 by means of the pressure of the spring 38 upon the clutch member 36, driving pulley 31, and so against the fixed member 35.

The driving pulley 31 so mounted is enabled to slip so as to prevent damage to the mechanism should a bottle closure cap or wire become misplaced in the dies or should disarrangement of the units or other parts occur.

Associated with the crank shaft 30 is a connecting rod 39 which is connected to the crank 40 of the said crank shaft and to the lower end of a vertical rod M to transmit thereto a reciprocating motion when the crank shaft 30 and crank 48 are revolved by the driving pulley 31.

Fixed inwardly of and adjacent to the bearings of the crankshaft 30 are lifting cams 42 and 43 which when revolved coincidentally with the crankshaft 30 function to raise and lower push rods 44 and 45.

The lower extremity of each push rod 44 and 45 is fitted with a roller 46 rotatably fitted within a roller bearing block 41 which in turn is adapted to move within a guideway 48, all in manner to effectually prevent rotational movements of the push rods 44 and 45.

The upper end of each of the said push rods 44 and 45 extends upwardly through the base 3| and through the base 49 of a central hollow pillar 50.

Each said push rod is adapted to successively lift each one of four lower forming punches (to be later more particularly referred to) only as each said punch successively arrives at operating stations B and D as it is being carried around by a turret head (the latter also more particularly referred to later).

Fixed to that end of the crank shaft 3!) remote from the spur gear 32, and outwardly of the bearing for such remote crank shaft end, is the operating arm 5| of a well known Geneva cross movement (see Figures 2 and 29) which arm 5| is adapted to successively engage slots 52 of the four-slot Geneva cross 53 formed integrally with a bevel gear 54 rotatably mounted upon the stub spindle 55 suitably mounted in the base 3|. The bevel gear 54 meshes with another bevel gear 56 of exactly similar dimensions and having the same number of teeth, such bevel gear 56 being secured to and beneath a turret head 57 which is rotatable about the central hollow pillar 50. Between the bevel gear 56 and the base 49 of the central hollow pillar 50 is a ball thrust bearing 58 of ample dimensions to carry the thrust and weight of the turret and its associated parts.

The vertical reciprocable rod 4| passes upwardly and in a neat fitting manner entirely through the central hollow pillar 59. The turret head 5'! is provided with rectangularly formed slots 59 (see Figure 8) in each of which is slidably housed by means of guide plates 62 a slider 60 (all sliders being precisely similarly formed) and a lower forming punch 6! (see Figure 3) which functions to assist in forming a bottle cap and to draw wire in a looped fashion through notches previously cut by a notching die in the bottle cap.

The upper faces 63 of the forming punches are provided with forming grooves 64 (see Figures 4 3, 5, and 8).

Immediately below the forming faces 63 of each one of the punches 6! is a transversely formed opening 65 in which is slidably fitted a hollow shank portion 66 of a catch H in which hollow shank portion 66 is fitted a tension spring 61.

A pin 68 passes through the hollow shank portion 56 and retains the spring 61 therein. An elongated slot 69 in the hollow shank portion 66 provides for restricted inward movement of the latter in association with the pin 68.

A substantially oblong plate 10 of ample dimension having a wire forming looping lug H or catch is attached to or integral with the hollow shank portion 65 and is capable of a slidable movement in a snug recess 12 in the punch Bl (see Figure 3.)

The lower portion 13 of each punch Bl is squared to slide snugly in a slot 59 in the turret 51 (see Figures 3, 5, 10 and 29). The said squared portion I3 is hollowed to receive a spring 14 which operates downwardly upon the movable plunger I5 through which latter is secured a projecting pin I6 which is free to move upwardly or downwardly with the said plunger 15 through elongated slot 11 in the squared portion E3 of the forming punch. The screwed gland nut 18 prevents detachment of the plunger I5 which is thus maintained in association with the punches 6|.

The lower end of each plunger I5 is provided with a rectangular block I8 on which is firmly mounted a rotatable roller 88 (see Figures 1, 5, 10 and 29) The said rollers 88 are engaged by the groove 8i of the cam track 82 which latter is of circular configuration and extends from station B to station D (see Figures 1, 13, 14, and 29).

The blocks I9 on which the rollers are fitted are adapted to ride upon the upper edge 83 of a circular edge track 84 (see Figures l3, l4 and 29).

The push rods 44 and 45 are operated by the cams 42 and 43 and function to elevate or lower the punches SI for performance of their forming operations when elevated, and also to enable the rollers 88 and blocks I9 to engage with the cam track groove 8| or with the edge 83 of the edge track 84.

Lifting of lower forming punches takes place only at stations B and D while at stations A and C an edge track 84 and cam track 82 respectively and in succession function.

Slidably housed in the same slots 58 in the turret 51 as are the squared lower punch portions I3 are the sliders 68 before mentioned which carry the rockable levers 85 each pivotally mounted between a pair of lugs 86 (see Figures 3, 5, 8 and 10).

The sliders 68 are each in turn engaged by an abutment 81 mounted at station B between the junction of the cam track 82 and the edge track 84 (see particularly Figures 10, 13 and 14) and rest upon such abutment while the cam 42 on the crankshaft 38 permits lowering of the push rod and with it the plunger I5 when the pin 16 engages the rockable lever 85 and said pin I6 finally enters the notch 88 formed in the lower end of the said rockable lever when the upper bent end 89 then engages and depresses the elongated plate IE to actuate the hollow catch 66 and its wire loop forming lug II (see particularly Figures 5 and 10), the said spring actuated catches 6B of the said punches 5| being depressed in succession at station B to release the partly formed looped portion of the wire (as seen in Figure 23) from the looping lug 'II in readiness for the next successive operation, so that at station C the said wire loop may be bent inwardly, in manner which will appear, to lie flush with the upper surface of a bottle cap.

Fixed upon the upper horizontal surface of the turret 5! is a die carrying plate 98 (Figure 12) whose edge is formed into four sets (each of a pre-determined and equivalent number) of gear teeth 8| with equal blanks dividing the said sets of gear teeth.

Slots 92 having rebated edges 93 (see Figures 12 and 15) are formed in the die-carrying plate to receive the rebated edges 94 (Figures 20 and 24) of the dies 85 whichare each cushioned by a spring 86 (see Figure 15) so as to be slightly depressible during forming operations to prevent liability of breaking or bending of the die by relieving it of abnormal shock due to any pressure of and sudden contact with the upper forming punches to be later referred to.

The dies 85 are retained in the die plate 98 by dowel pins 81' situated at or near their rebated edges 94.

The dies 85 have each an opening 98 formed therethrough (see Figure 12), such opening being shaped to the configuration of and to receive snugly resting therein a crown seal or bottle closure cap to be operated upon as required by the various forming operations for which the mechanism is designed to be utilized.

Transversely of each die and near the front edge of its opening 88 are grooves 99 and I88, and near the rebated edges of each die 95 are grooves I8! all for the purpose of wire bending and forming operations to be later described.

The upper part of the machine will now be more particularly described with reference to the four forming stations before referred to and which stations will be found distinctly lettered in the drawings A, B, C and D.

Referring first then to station A and particularly at this juncture to Figures 3, 7, ll, 12, 16 and 29 of the drawings, the wire I82 drawn from a reel or other supply in convenient location passes betwen feed rollers I85 and I88 then through an opening in a directing throat piece E83 which has a tapered lead-in opening I04 and then transversely across the arcuately shaped face I81 of a bridge I88 and finally is arrested by the adjustable stop I89.

The roller I86 is rotatable upon the pin'lHl fixed in the block Ill mounted upon the bridge I88. The other roller I85 is fixed to the gear wheel II2 rotatable upon a pin II3 which is carried by a pair of levers 4 the latter swingable upon a pin H5 attached conveniently to the bridge I88. Above the gear wheel H2 is an adjustable spring tensioned brake shoe III; which functions upon its adjustment to permit only the requisite amount of rotational movement of the said gear wheel H 2. The swingable levers H4 are adapted to function to impart the requisite feeding pressure of the roller I84 upon the wire I02 and against the other roller I 86, their adjustment being effected by manipulation of the adj'ustable tension spring Ill by means of the wing nut II8 threaded upon the stud H8 mounted a in the bridge I08.

A series of rollers I28 (see Figure 1) may be employed in association with the feed rollers H84 and. I86 to straighten the wire I52 prior to its being fed into the machine.

Mounted upon the upper end of the central pillar is a die carrying head IZI (see Figures 1, 3, and 5). At station A the head I2I carries, upon the pivots I22 and between the cheeks I23 (see also Figure 9), a swingable wire forming die comprised by the inner and outer forming jaws E24 and I25 (see Figures 3, 6, and 21) together with a wire bending slide I26 associated with a stripper I21 (see Figures 6, 18, 20 and 21). The outer forming jaw I25 is provided with upwardly extending arms I28 which carry a pin I29. The said pin l29 engages with the two pairs of blocks I38 which are slidable on the two pairs of spring actuated toggle levers or rods I3I. The upper ends of the toggle levers E3I are provided with blocks 932 which are rotatably fitted about a pivot I33 fixed in the arm I34 of a cross head E35 which is secured to the upper end of the reciprocable rod ll. (See particularly Figures 2, 3 and 29) til The toggle levers I 3| are provided with fixed collars I36 against which slidable blocks I come to rest by the tension of the springs I37 (see Figure 29) which springs are adjusted by means of threaded nuts I38 to ensure their requisite amount of compression to bring about the required inward pressure upon each inward swing for effective operation of the respective forming dies to carry out their respective and necessary forming operations for which they are provided.

Such springs I 31 furthermore function as re silient means whereby damage to forming dies or associated elements is ensured against should any clogging occur.

The forming operations carried out at this station A are effected by reciprocation of the vertical rod 4| and with it the cross head I35.

A bar I39 (Figures 2, 3, 6 and 9) carried by the cheeks I23 of the die head I 2| is provided with an adjustable stop pin I40 to limit the outward swing of the inner wire forming jaw I24 (and with it the stripper I27) by its abutment with the said stop pin I40 as the vertical rod M and cross head I rise to their fullest extent and by reason of the upward pull of the toggle levers I 3I thus brought about. When the inner wire forming jaw I24 is thus brought to rest by the stop pin I the outer jaw is still capable of a slightly further outward movement away from the inner jaw by reason of the pressure exerted by a helical spring I 4| under compression against the arm I43 attached to the inner jaw I 24, such spring I4I being located on the stud I42 carried by the pin I29 (see particularly Figure 3).

Limitation of this last-mentioned movement is provided for by abutment of the head of the adjustable stop screw I44 (attached to the outer jaw I25) against the shoulder I45 in the recess I46 in the inner jaw I24 (see Figures 3, 6 and 9 and also detail view Figure 21).

The bending portions I of the jaws are shaped to the desired configuration of the wire I48 as shown for example at Figure 28. The wire is bent to such configuration by closure of the jaws brought about by lowering of the cross head I35 by the vertical rod 4I. Thus, the wire I02 is first cut by the cutter I49 (see detail view Figure 21) and is then bent to the configuration indicated by numeral I48 at Figure 28 upon abutment of the inner forming jaw I24 with the stop pin I 50 (attached to the die head I2I) by the inward swinging of the dies, after which the striker I5I on the cross head I35 engages with the striker pin I52 of the bending slide I26 whose sides I53 (see detail view Figure 21) are adapted to bend the ends I54 (see Figure 18) of the wire I48 into the cross grooves IOI of the die 95, thus forming the wire configuration indicated by numeral I48 at Figure 28 into the wire configuration indicated by the numeral I70 at Figure 28.

Continued downward movement of the bending slide I26 operates the spring controlled stripper I27 which strips or pushes the bent wire II0 from between the bending portions I41 of the jaws I24 and to thus firmly embed the said bent wire I10 in the grooves 99 and I00 transversely of the die 95. The bridge I08 mounted as beforementioned upon the cheeks I23 of the die head I2I, has its arcuately formed inner face I 0'! so formed as to enable the jaws I24 and I25 of the wire forming die to swing in close relationship with it during wire forming operations.

During this last described wire bending and forming operation a lower forming punch BI is automatically left at rest at the wire bending station A projected through the die 95 by resting upon the edge track 84. (See Figure 6.)

After completion at station A of the wire bending and forming operation just described and after the bent wire I48 has been embedded in the grooves 99 and I00 of the die 95, the operating arm 5| of the Geneva cross 53 partially rotates the latter through a quarter of a revolution to bring the said die 95 to station B beneath a locating die I55 and simultaneously the cross head I35 rises to its fullest extent.

Above the locating die I55 is an inclined feed chute I56 which may at its upper extremity be connected to and associated with any well known type of sorting feed hopper (not shown in the drawings).

Down through the said feed chute, bottle caps I5'I (see Figure 5) gravitate and are fed singly to the locating die I55. Such bottle caps I51 leave the sorting hopper in inverted positions and are singly permitted to reach the locating die I55 by the operation of a spring-controlled escapement lever I58 which is caused to function by co-operating movements of the an inclined track I59 and a pin I60, the spring controlled escapement lever I58 being rockable about a pivot I6I fitted in suitable bearings on the chute I56.

The said inclined track I59 is attached to an upper forming punch I62 which is slidably guided in the die head I2I which latter is secured in the cross head I35 and when raised and lowered thereby the escapement I58 is rocked to feed by gravitation the caps I51 singly and at predetermined intervals of time to the locating die I55.

The upper forming punch I 62 has its lower end of suitable configuration to tightly receive over it an inverted bottle cap.

Each bottle cap I5'I, as yet unformed by the machine according to the invention, falls into and is snugly received by the opening I63 (see Figures 5, 22 and 29) in the locating die I55 and is there located correctly by a pair of slidable spring controlled locating shoes I 64 (see particularly Figures 22 and 23) which, together with the opening I63 in the die I55, are formed on their inner faces with the locating grooves I65 which have saw toothed locating projections I66 which are adapted to engage with the gofferings or crimped edges I61 of the cap I51 to ensure correct location of the latter.

It will be seen that as each cap I51 gravitates to the bottom of the opening I63 of the locating die I 55 it passes between the shoes I 64 which are adjusted to the requisite size of opening for easy passage of the said cap and the latter is then brought to rest upon a levelling or steadying plate I68 controlled by a spring actuated arm I69.

Such levelling or steadying of each cap before it enters the locating die I55 is necessary to prevent side tilting of the cap which would cause the latter to be rendered useless by becoming crushed and distorted during punching and forming operations besides tending to simultaneously render the machine inoperative.

As the turret head 5'! revolves and the crosshead I 35 rises the lower forming punch 6i projecting through the die 95 which carries in it a partly formed wire I'IO fashioned as previously described is brought to station B, and the said punch 6I forces out of its circular path the spring controlled steadying plate I68, so that the cap I51 which has previously been correctly located in the die I63 may rest instead upon the upper face of the said lower forming punch 6| which momentarily remains stationary. When the upper forming punch I62 has descended upon the lower stationary punch 6| with the cap I51 therebetween and when the said cap I51 has been thus formed by the machine according to the objective of the invention, movement of the cam 42 takes place to permit descent of the push rod 44 and of the said punch 6| at the same speed as that of the descending upper forming punch I62 and as the cap I51 still imprisoned between the forming faces of the upper and lower punches 6| and I62 descends and passes through the locating die I55 it is notched by a pair of projections as I1l of a notching die I12.

The pair of projections I1I (one only of the pair seen clearly in Figures 22 and 23) function coincidentally with the pair of grooves I13 formed in the punch I62, the lower edges of such grooves I13 forming with the said projections I1I the means whereby the requisitesmall pieces of metal are cut away in desired locations from the edge of the cap I51.

The particles of metal detached by the projections H! are blown away (to prevent clogging of the mechanism) by compressed air which is led to an inlet pipe I14 through a passage I15 which communicates with orifices I16 (see Figures 3 and 5 particularly).

The punches I62 and BI co -incidentally now further descend until the cap I51 is firmly embedded in die 95 located at station B and at that instant the squared portion 13 of the forming punch 6| rests upon the abutment 81 (located between the junction of the cam track 82 and the edge track 84) when the maximum pressure or force is exerted by the upper forming punch I62 so that projections upon its face, of configuration corresponding or co-registering with grooves formed from the face of the lower form ing punch 6|, together form the cap I51 with sunken or indented portions and ridges and grooves in required manner.

Simultaneously with the descent of the lower forming punch 6| through the die 95 the catch or looping lug H (see particularly Figure 23) engages with the wire I10 to draw it-downwardly in a looped fashion, after which the cam 42 moves so as to permit the plunger 15 to rapidly descend within the stationary punch 6| see Figures 3 and 5) and simultaneously the rockable lever 85 carried by the stationary slider 60 is rocked by the pin 16 as it moves downwardly to at the end of its downward travel engage in the notch 88 to move inwardly the upper bent end 89 to depress the hollow shank portion 66 and catch or looping lug 1I away from engagement with the looped wire I11 (see Figure 10).

As the turret head 51 now again is partially revolved and the cross head I35 again rises, the cap I18 (formed with requisite sunken or indented portions and ridges and grooves) and the looped wire I11 are together brought to station C the rollers of the plungers 15 being each in turn engaged, prior to arrival at station C, in the groove 8| of the tracked cam 82 so as to draw further downwardly (when located at station C) each lower forming punch 6| clearly away from beneath the now formed cap I18.

When the partial revolution of the turret head 51 has ceased, that upper forming punch I19 at station C descends and its foot portion I80 enters the formed cap I18- while its shank portion I 6| telescopes within the hollow sleeve I82 attached to the cross head I35. Within the sleeve I82 is a helical spring I83 which is compressed upon downward movement of the shank portion I8I so that its stored energy may subsequently cause the'shank I8I to be lifted upwardly and forced outwardly from its sleeve I 82 upon the completion of the forming operation.

During descent of the said upper forming punch I19, pairs of toggle levers I3I similar to those at station A swing upon the pivot I84 in the cross head I35 and the pivot I85 in the upper extremity of a bending arm I86 which latter in turn is swingable upon the pivot I81 in thecheeks I88 of the die head I2I (see particularly Figures 2, 3, and 29).

As the cross head I35 again descends the bending arm I86 swings inwardly and its bendingfoot I89 bends the loop portion I90 of the looped wire I11 (see particularly Figures 25, 26 and 27) until the said foot I89 has closely passed beneath the formed cap I18 to bend the loop portion I90 closely against and nested snugly in the formed sunken or indented outer surface of the said cap I18.

Pivotally mounted in a suitable location on the bending arm I86 adjacent and above its bending foot I89 is a spring controlled wire bending lever I9I which has a bifurcated end I92 beneath which are depending lugs I93 which function to bend the upstanding ends I94 of the looped wire I11 over the gofifered edge and inwardly of the formed cap I18 as the arm I 86 moves inwardly by reason of the action of the toggle levers I3I When the bending arm I86 has moved inwardly to its fullest extent the sleeve I82 desoends upon and engages with the bifurcated end I92 of the wire bending lever |9I to press downwardly the depending lugs I93 upon the ends I94 of the looped wire I11 to locate the said ends I94 of the said looped wire I11 snugly upon and within the formed cap I18 thus completing the wire forming operation.

The punch I19 and bending arm I86 are now drawn away from the formed cap I18 and the turret head 51 is again partially revolved through a quarter of a revolution to transfer the formed cap I18 still in its die to station D where the lower punch 6| beneath the cap I18 is pushed upwardly by upward movement of the cam 43 whereupon an automatically and intermittently functioning and timed air blast from the air nozzle I95 (see particularly Figures 1, 5, and 29) ejects the formed cap from the machine through or upon a chute I96 of any convenient design leading to any approved location.

Spring controlled ejector pins I91 (see Figures 2 and 3) are provided in the upper forming punches I62 and I19 to eject or free therefrom the formed caps I18 should the latter tend to remain thereupon or stick as the said punches rise after completing their respective forming operations.

It will of course be understood that in general the invention as described is subject to modifications in constructional details and design and arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims, and furthermore that within such claims any suitable and approved mechanical equivalent or equivalents in lieu of'any one or more of the mechanical integers referred toin the specification may be substitutedztherefor.

What I do claim is:

1. An automatic mechanism for reforming bottle closure caps and fitting releasing wires thereto comprising means to cut and partly form wire, means to receive adjacently to each other said partly formed wire and a bottle closure cap and to indent and notch the latter and to fashion the wire into a looped formation, means to snugly nest the loop-like wire formation into the bottle cap indentation and recesses formed for reception of said wire formation, and means to positively eject the indented and wire fitted bottle cap.

2. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 and which includes means for notching the golferings of each bottle closure cap to snugly receive within them portions of the said loop-like wire formation.

3. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 and with which is associated a feed chute equipped with means for ensuring a regular feed of bottle closure caps to the second mentioned means.

4. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 and with which is associated a feed chute equipped with means for ensuring a regular feed of bottle closure caps to the second mentioned means the means for ensuring a regular feed of bottle closure caps a rockable spring-controlled escapement lever associated with the feed chute and which lever is caused to function by co-operating movements of an inclined track attached to an upper forming punch, substantially as set forth.

5. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that the means for positively ejecting the caps is intermittently operated.

6. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first mentioned means includes a wire directing throat piece, feed rollers for the wire, swingable levers to impart the requisite feeding pressure and adjustment means associated therewith, wire straightening rollers, a swingable wire-forming die comprised by inner and outer forming jaws, a wire bending slide, means for adjustment of the inward pressure upon each inward swing of the forming die, means to limit the outward swing of the inner wire forming jaw, an automatically and intermittently operated wire cutter, a bending slide adapted to bend the ends of the partly formed wire, a spring cushioned die and a spring controlled stripper associated with the before-mentioned wire bending slide and adapted to push or strip the formed wire from between the bending portions of the forming jaws and to embed the said formed wire in a springcushioned die.

7. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second mentioned means includes a locating die for a bottle closure cap, a pair of slidable spring-controlled locating shoes adapted to engage with the gofferings of the cap, a springcontrolled steadying plate for the cap, lower and upper cap indenting punches, an arresting abutment for the said lower punch, a die for notching the edge of the cap, compressed air means for blowing away particles of metal detached by the notching die, a wire looping lug associated with the lower punch, and means for automatically disengaging the said wire looping lug from the looped wire.

8. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the third mentioned means includes a bending arm having a foot portion adapted to bend the looped portion of the said wire formation beneath and cause it to rest snugly in the indented outer surfaces of the cap, and a spring-controlled wire bending lever having a bifurcated end and depending lugs which function with means to bend the upstanding ends of the looped wire over the goffered edge and inwardly of the formed cap.

9. A mechanism as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fourth mentioned means includes an automatically and intermittently functioning and timed air blast nozzle and a delivery chute.

10. In a mechanism as claimed in claim 1, a crank shaft, a driving gear for the several means comprising a driving shaft and pulley and associated friction drive and gearing to operate said crank shaft, lifting cams associated with the said crank shaft, push rods the lower extremity of each of which latter is fitted with a rotatably fitted roller and a roller bearing block a guideway being provided for said roller bearing block, said push rods being raised and lowered by said crank shaft, lower forming punches adapted to be lifted by the said push rods, a bevel gearing, a Geneva cross movement associated with said bevel gearing and with the said crank shaft, a central hollow pillar, a turret head which is intermittently rotatable about said central hollow pillar, and a vertically reciprocable rod passing upwardly through the central hollow pillar.

11. In a mechanism as claimed in claim 1, a crank shaft, a driving gear for its several means comprising a driving shaft and pulley and associated friction drive and gearing to operate said crank shaft, lifting cams associated with the said crank shaft, push rods, the lower extremity of each of which latter is fitted with a rotatably fitted roller and a roller bearing block, a guide way being provided for said roller bearing block, said push rods being raised and lowered by said crank shaft, lower forming punches adapted to be lifted by the said push rods, a bevel gearing, a Geneva cross movement associated with said bevel gearing and with the said crank shaft, a central hollow pillar, a turret head which is intermittently rotatable about said central hollow pillar, and a vertically reciprocable rod passing upwardly through the central hollow pillar, each lower forming punch having its lower portion squared and hollowed, a spring bearing in said lower portion a movable plunger pushed downwardly by said spring, the lower end of said plunger being provided with a rectangular block and a roller, a circular cam track having a groove, the said roller being adapted to be engaged by said groove, a circular edge track on the upper edge of which said block is adapted to ride.

12. In a mechanism as claimed in claim 1, a crank shaft, a driving gear for the several means comprising a driving shaft and pulley and associated friction drive and gearing to operate said crank shaft, lifting cams associated with the said crank shaft, push rods the lower extremity of each of which latter is fitted with a rotatably fitted roller and a roller bearing block, a guide way being provided for said roller bearing block, said push rods being raised and lowered by said crank shaft, lower forming punches adapted to be lifted by the said push rods, a bevel gearing, a Geneva cross movement associated with said bevel gearing and with the said crank shaft, a central hollow pillar, a turret head which is intermittently rotatable about said central hollow pillar, and a vertically reciprocable rod passing upwardly through the central hollow pillar, a die carrying head on the upper end of said central hollow pillar, a swingable wire forming die carried by said die carrying head, said die comprising inner and outer forming jaws together with a wire bending slide associated with a stripper, springactuated toggle levers whose uper ends are provided with blocks for operating said parts of the die, a cross-head secured to the upper end of said vertically reciprocable rod, a pivot fixed in an arm of said cross-head, said blocks being rotatably fitted about said pivot, a pivoted wire bending arm and spring actuated toggle levers disposed opposite the aforesaid toggle levers operating said Wire bending arm.

PHILJP NORTON VOWLES. 

